Provenance

7 events

Production

unknown to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)

The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn guild in Benin City.

Looted

February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to June 1899 (year approximate)

The object was looted by February 1897 Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin from Benin Kingdom.

Unknown

1940s to 1957

The object is known to have come into contact with Allen Alperton, in New York City.

Purchase

1957

The object was purchased by Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller from Allen Alperton in New York City.

Loan

1957 to 1964

The object was loaned by Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller to New York Museum of Primitive Arts in New York City.

Gift

1964

The object was given as a gift by Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller to New York Museum of Primitive Arts in New York City.

Transfer

1978

The object was transferred from New York Museum of Primitive Arts to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Institution data

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2021-07-30

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Object Number object id	1978.412.304
Object Sort Number object id	1978 412 304
Primary Rendition No object id	vs1978_412_304-d
Title designation object type	Figure Fragment: Leopard Head
Medium material	Brass, pigment (?)
Dimensions dimensions	H. 8 1/4 in. × W. 6 in. × D. 7 in. (21 × 15.2 × 17.8 cm)
Classification object type	Metal-Sculpture
Date date made	early 17th century (?)
Geo: City production place	Court of Benin
Geo: Country production place	Nigeria
Credit Line prior source	The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1964
Provenance provenance	[Allan Alperton, Amityville, N.Y., until 1957]; Nelson A. Rockefeller, New York, on loan to The Museum of Primitive Art, New York, 1957–1964; The Museum of Primitive Art, New York, 1964–1978Court of Benin Objects in the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dynasty reign associated name	Oranmiyan
Culture ethnic attribution	Edo peoples
ExhibitionHistory exhibition history	Benin Bronzes Museum of Primitive Art, May 20, 1959–September 6,1959 The Seven Metals of Africa University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology,November 12, 1959–January 15, 1960 Cleveland Museum of Art, June 6, 1960–July 24,1960 Museum of International Folk Art, September 22, 1960–November 27,1960 Nigerian Sculpture Stadtische Galerie und Lenbach Galerie, Munich, September 1,1961–January 7, 1962 The Evolution of Afro American Artists: 18001950 City College of New York, January 1, 1967–December 31,1967 Benin Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, September 21, 1968–November 24,1968 New Orleans Museum of Art, December 15, 1968–January 15,1969 African Sculpture Hillwood Art Museum, Long Island University, February 2,1969–February 28, 1969 Art of Oceania, Africa and the Americas from The Museum ofPrimitive Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, May 10, 1969–August 17,1969 The Role of the Afro American Writer in the Development ofAmerican Literature Nassau Community College, April 9, 1970–April 10,1970 The Art of Nigeria and Cameroon South Huntington Public Library, New York, February 5, 1973–March30, 1973
Bibliography bibliography	The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Art of Oceania, Africa, and the Americas from the Museum of Primitive Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1969, no. 375.
Published References bibliography

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The data was downloaded via a public data access of the institution.

Last updated: 2025-05-26

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Is Highlight	False
Is Timeline Work	False
Is Public Domain license	True
Object ID object id	310747
Department department and institution	Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
AccessionYear accession date	1978
Object Name object type	Head
Title designation	Figure Fragment: Leopard Head
Culture ethnic attribution	Edo peoples
Object Date date made	early 17th century (?)
Object Begin Date date made	1600
Object End Date date made	1700
Medium material	Brass, pigment (?)
Dimensions dimensions	H. 8 1/4 in. × W. 6 in. × D. 7 in. (21 × 15.2 × 17.8 cm)
Credit Line prior source	The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1964
City	Court of Benin
Country production place	Nigeria
Classification object type	Metal-Sculpture
Link Resource weblink	http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/310747
Repository department and institution	Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Tags iconography	Leopards
Tags AAT URL iconography	http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300310390
Tags Wikidata URL iconography	https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34706

Sensitive Content

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